Horn and other article constructed from flexible tubing.



I E; RUBES. HORN AND OTHER ARTICLE GONSTRUGTED FROM FLEXIBLE TUBING.

,APPLIOATI ON IILE'D JUNE 15, 1908.

wa i9za'sses v E. RUBBS.

HORN AND OTHER ARTICLE GONS'IRUOTED PROM FLEXIBLE TUBING. v

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1908 992,259. atented-M m, 1911 2 SII'BBTB-SHEET 2.

('zess 65 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST Rows, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF r0 LOUIS RUBES,

' or BROOKLYN, NEW. YoRK. I

HORN AND OTHER ARTICLE CONSTRUCTED FROM FLEXIBLE TUBING.

Patented May is, 1911.

Application filed June 15, 1908. Serial No. 438,621.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ERNEs'r Burns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Horns and other Articles I Constructed From Flexible Tubing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of articles of metallic flexible tubing which is preferably conical in form, that is, to say, tapered in a direction from one end toward the other end, and the object of the invention primarily is to provide an article having good acoustic properties such, for-instance, as a horn, megaphone or similar article, and by constructing the article of a conical or tapered flexible metallic tube, sound produced at or toward the smaller end of thetapered tube will be amplified or increased as it approaches the'opposite or larger end ofthe tube producing a deep and penetrating sound. Another object of the invention is to provide a horn or other similar device having acoustic propertieswhich is coiled or otherwise constructed in the desired form or shape and, by so constructing the article, the flexible tubing can be easily and cheaply manufactured and easily bent or coiled into the proper form without exercising the care and using bending machines such as those necessary in the forming of horns and similar articles of the ordinary rigid tubing, and by applying a reed, whistle or any suitable sounding device at one end of the tube, ,the smaller end in case the tubing is of tapered or conical form, thefsound therefrom while traversing the flexible tubewill be amplified by the resonant propertiesof the'tube, and by constructing the article offlexible tubing, damage or breaking thereofihroughaccidentor otherwise, is prevented.

To 'these and other ends, the invention consists in certain-improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be'hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification. I

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 j is a view of an article constructed of a section of flexible metallic tubing, a portion of the .tubingbeing broken away to show the construction thereof; Fig. :2 is a view of a motorcycle orsimilar horn constructed from flexible metallic tubing inaccordance with the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a view of the conical or tapered flexible tubing formed into an auto horn. a

.Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

The present invention comprehends the construction broadly of articles of various .1

constructed in any appropriate manner whereby the use of soldered joints is avoided and the tubing may be bent readily into form 'without collapsing or distortion, one specific construction of such tubing being shown. in the present instance as an example: Thefiexible metallic tubing in the present instance is composed of a spirally-wound metallic strip 1 of any suitable form having loosely engaged interlocking edges 2 between which a packing strip 3 of asbestos or other appropriate material is interposed, this pack- 4 ing strip being employed for the purpose of rendering the tubing practically air-tight. As previously stated, however, the constructionof the tubing: in the present instance is shown merely for illustrative purposes and that any'construction of flexible tubing of this general type may be employed. J The essential .feature of the IlIlVfilltlOIl shown in Fig. l is the formation of thetube of a tapered or conical form which preferably increases gradually in diameter from one end 4 toward the opposite end 5, the latter serving as an outlet or sound discharge opening, and it is to be understood that the length of this tube may be varied as circumstances may require. The article shown in this form of the invention may be used for various purposes; for instance, it may be used as a horn by applying a reed or other sound producing device at the smaller end t thereof, the sound emitted from the sound producing device being amplified by the resonant property of the tube as such sound approaches and discharges from the outlet end of the tube, or, it may be used as a mega phone by providing a mouth-piece at the smaller end thereof and, in applying the invention to the differentuses, the length or the degree of taper thereof may be varied. However, this form of the invention may be used either for general signal purposes; and it also may be used as an exhaust conduit wherein it is desirable to insure a quick exhaust through an increasing outlet so as not to produce an appreciable back pressure.

By reason of the flexible nature of the tubing, the same is capable of being readily bent or coiled into various forms in order to construct acoustic instruments or articles generally and especially those used as warning signals, such for instance, as auto horns or motorcycyle horns. In Fig. 2, I have shown a tapered or conical flexible tubing which is coiled or bent to form a horn having a plurality of convolutions 6, and in this instance, a reed or other sound producing device is applied to the smaller. end of the article as at 7 and is provided with a bulb or other means 8 for producing a blast of air through the reed so as to sound the same. The sound produced by the reed or equivalent device in passing from the smaller extremity through the convolutions of thetapering tube will give out at ,the relatively wide opening 9 a resonant and penetrating sound. A flexible metallic tubing of the kind described may also be used advantageously in the manufacture of auto and similar horns, such as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the article shown in this instance being composed of a flexible metallic tubing 10 which tapers from one end toward the other, a reed or other vibratory sound producing device 11 being applied at the smaller portion of the tubing so as to direct sound therethrough, and the relatively wide outlet or sound opening 12 gives vent to a resonant and penetratmg sound which is amplified during its passage through the tapered convolutions of the tubing. If so desired, the outlet end of the tubing may be provided with a bell in order to further increase the volume of the sound. ,A bulb 13 is connected to the reed or other vibratory sound producing device either directly ceases or through the medium of another section of flexible tubing or conduit 14 which may be of any suitable length in order to enable I the article to be sounded from the seat of an automobile or from any other convenient point.

The invention contemplates broadly the production horns, signals and analogous devices from a flexible tubing which preferably tapers to form a relatively large outlet, and it is generally preferable to employ a tube of such tapered form especially in the making of articles having acoustic properties, but it will be understood, of course, that instead of tapering the tubing throughout its length, a portion only of the tubing may be so tapered, and I also contemplate the making of horns and similar acoustic articles broadly from flexible tubing in view of the advantages obtained thereby, and in some cases, it may be desirable to make the tube of cylindrical or any other desired form instead of tapering it, as shown.

It will be understood, of course, that while certain specific embodiments of the invention are herein shown, the invention is not necessarily so limited, as I contemplate the application of the flexible tubing for use in various connections and especially in connection with auto horns, motor boat signals, hot-air warning signals, blast whistles and in various connections wherein the acoustic properties of the tubing are utilized, and in fact, the tapered flexible metallic tubing may be used for various other purposes.

Horns, signals and analogous devices constructed from flexible metallic tubing in accordance with the present invention may be manufactured very cheaply, as it is pos sible to form the tubing readily by machinery, and the invention may be applied to such advantage in the bending or coiling of the tube to form convolutions, as the tube bends very readily without distortion and without requiring the use of acore or other means for preventing collapsing thereof, and after being bent into the desired shape, the convolutions or bends may be retained in such shape by soldering, applying bands or other suitable devices, and the use of flexible metallic tubing as the body of the born or device eliminates soldered joints which cannot withstand the vibration incident to the use of horns or signals upon automobiles and similar vehicles I claim as my invention 1. A wind instrument, the body of which is composed of a flexible metal tube.

2. A wind instrument, the body of which is composed of a flexible metal tube, said tube having a bell at one end.

3. A wind instrument, the body of which is composed of a flexible spiral metal tube.

4. A horn composed of a length of flexible metallic tubing having inherent resonant 0am a qualities, :1 vibratory sound producing device connected to the inlet end thereof, and

means for operating the sound producing device to cause a passage of the sound therefrom through the flexible tubing.

5. An auto flexible metallic tubingbent to form a con voluted body, a reed attached to one .end of such tubing, a bulb cooperative .with saidhorn or signal composed of reed for operating it, and a bell arranged at 10 the opposite end of such tubing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- Copies of this patent may he obtained for live cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

